The colt's owners, Circle Z Stables, which includes Baltimorean Domenico Zannino and trainer Mark Shuman, have the option of entering him in the Derby, looking ahead to the Preakness or selling him.

Shuman said last night offers for at least seven figures have been received, but so far no one has hit "the magic" number. "Less than seven figures and we'd laugh," said Shuman, who bought the colt with Zannino at the Timonium sales last year for $40,000.

"We're business people. Everything is for sale. I don't know what the offers are. I'm staying out of it. But they're pushing around numbers. I know what I'd sell him for, but it's probably a lot less than [the partnership] would."

Shuman said if the horse is sold, it would mean the new owners are looking for a ticket to the Derby. If the horse isn't sold, he said, "The chances of going to the Derby are about 20 percent. I'd lean toward being conservative and look at the Preakness and more long term."